Day 2: An Explation

Sitting and listening to my hunk-a-hunk-a-burnin'-love reading to my two older children (the baby is tucked away for the night).

<3 this...

So I came into the room with the computer to share this lovely picture and felt a damp spot beneath my feet....

*eh-hem*...thank you, Leah.

I guess it WASN'T just her shirt...thankfully only water (said the mom of the 2 year old potty trainee *sigh*).

So what am I explaining for Day Two (you might ask)? The blog title: "Amazingly Average." My essence: Ode d'Moi. Some people have these amazing talents. They can sing beautifully, they can write poetically, they can create artistically, they can cook meals lovingly, and *cue disgust* they can craft up a years worth of gifts in hours whilst maintaining a calm serenity (said the girl after the tension headache attempting to knit...so much for "relaxing hobbies").

RABBIT TRAIL:

I DO like to craft...but I have a teensy, tiny problem...I do NOT like messes. SO, I will one day have an amazing craft drawer, closet, space, whatever! ...my personal favorite PINNED idea is the re-purposed armoire for a craft closet.

This I could definitely manage nicely. So, until I have an organized little area to hide away all the teeny, tiny, voluminously, overwhelming odds and ends that define "crafting," I REFUSE to craft (except at ladies meetings and TOTS - A mothers group...I will write about it later).

END RABBIT TRAIL

*Whew* So me, I am just average. I do LOVE to sing, write, create art, cook, and craft. However, I am merely average. Commonplace. Basic. "Jack of all trades, and master of none." Or in this case, a JILL (Jack and Jill went up a hill.....to fetch a pai..........*ahem*) of all trades.

But I have discovered something significant. Come closer so I can tell you; it's a secret. *whispers* I think being AVERAGE is  !!!AMAZING!!! I believe "moderation in everything" and, lucky for me, my talents believe it too!

An average wife, an average mother, an average mediocre hopeless "homemaker" <guilt> BUT, that is what is so amazing and nice.

I can kiss my kids' sweet, adorable, little -shnookum- faces and they will love me because I am their mother...poor "innocent" little lambs....

....good thing all you have to go by is ME. *sigh* Self, straighten up and just love on those littles!

But, what I can do is be willing to serve, which is what I strive for. Serve my husband, serve my children, serve my little family, serve my larger, extended family, serve my church, serve my GOD.

That's not a talent, either; me serving. I would much rather sit on our giant, overstuffed, comfy, nap-inducing, American-made, sectional couch - phone in hand, pinning away. *sigh* (Apparently I do NOT understand moderation in THAT area....over 1,000 pins in a week? Egads...but at least they are blessedly organized).

Now, to leech off the utter brilliance of another (ah, Pinterest), to bring you THIS:

Curdled milk? Homemade Yogurt? Cheese sauce (Dear me, I hope not! Look at those lumps! Grandma Collins [to my kids] would be ashamed)? Nay, forsooth. THIS is homemade liquid hand soap. I'll show you pictorial steps to preparing it when I make it again.

**CONFESSION** 
This is actually my second time to make this.

Let's just say that the first one remained the soapy, sudsy water...even after adding an extra 4 oz bar (to the original recipe) of the same soap. It then deteriorated to half soap shavings (despite melting them in properly) and half water after adding another bar of soap (which I just happened to have in my possession).

**END CONFESSION**

Ingredients:

Water - 96 ounces (a gallon is 128 ounces)

Burt's Bees Energizing Body Bar - 5 ounces
Glycerin - 1 Tbs (found in the Band-Aid section)

The water is "understood" in this picture.

I put the water in a pot and let it boil (to kill any bacteria which might be lurking, potentially turning my homemade project into disaster). Whilst this bubbled and boiled, I grated that bar of soap into powder. (again, sorry no pictures...until next time)

Remove from heat, dissolve the powdered soap in the heated water, add the glycerin, and let cool...at least 12 hours.

Then, liquid hand soap! For the cost of the bar (and a portion of the glycerin). Put those old Bath & Body Works bottles to good use!!! That's MY plan, anyways.

Found the first recipe for this HERE. And another, even more economical way HERE (love love love LOVE her site).

Little note: The first batch I made was AWFUL. As I explained, it did not turn out. I used a soap with too much moisture in it! SO, be sure you don't! Use a dry soap. When you are grating it, compare it to cheese. A hard cheese, like Parmesan and Romano, will be crumbly and powdery. A soft cheese, like mozzarella and colby jack *mmmm* yum, will stick to the grater and be softer to the touch. Don't get soft (cheese) soap! I'll be filling up my RE-PURPOSED (thoroughly washed) milk gallon jug to store this goodness in.

SO much fun! Saving money and feeling creative. *AH* It truly is the little things in life. I want to get some Essential Oils to add to the mix to fragrance it...I'm also going to add Coconut Oil for a little more moisture (just a tester size, once it is ready)...I'll let you know how it goes.

So that's it from me tonight. Another AMAZINGLY average post for your information as way of explanation...with a little added something...I digress. And good night.

<She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Proverbs 31:27-28>